Hair Straightening device

ABSTRACT

A hair straightener or straightening device is provided that includes a handle adapted to be attached to a housing. The housing has a heat transmissive plate surrounded by a cover formed by curved rings and teeth, which serve to guide and tension the hair along the heat transmissive plate. The heat transmissive plate is heated by hot air. The air is directed and diverted to heat the transmissive plate to a temperature hot enough to straighten hair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a hair styling product. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a hair straightener orstraightening device that uses hot air to straighten or smooth the hair.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] A variety of different devices and methods may be used forstraightening hair. For example, the user may employ a hairbrush toplace tension on his or her hair while applying heated air with a hairdryer. In particular, the user gathers a portion of hair and extends itaway from the user's head. The extended hair portion is then treatedwith heated air to enable it to retain its extended shape. However, thismethod is a two-handed procedure that requires agility, concentrationand, thus, can be strenuous and tiresome for the user.

[0005] An alternative method for hair straightening is use of astyler/dryer appliance. The appliance has various styling attachments,such as a brush or a comb, which attach to the nozzle of the hair dryer,and typically having an elongated body with a head portion in which thehot air flow exits laterally therefrom. Thus, the appliance can bemanipulated in the same fashion as a common brush, namely one's hairbeing dried and styled as the user merely brushes or combs his or herhair. The air outlet in a styler/dryer is a larger area than that of thetypical blower/dryer and, consequently, the air exits through thisoutlet at a lower velocity. This lower velocity and less concentratedair flow will not tend to adversely blow or scatter the user's hair asmuch as the high velocity air in the blower/dryer, thereby facilitatingthe styling operation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,286 discloses an example ofsuch a styler/dryer.

[0006] Hair can also be straightened by applying a relaxing agent tobreak down the natural curls of the hair. A hair dryer is then typicallyused to dry the hair and, in some cases, provides the requisite heatnecessary to activate the relaxing agent.

[0007] Further, a curling iron or similar device may facilitatestraightening of hair by compressing the hair between flat surfaces ofheated iron.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a device forstraightening hair.

[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a hairstraightener that straightens the user's hair by using hot air.

[0010] It is still another object of the present invention to provide ahair straightener in which a various attachments can be readily attachedand detached from the body or handle of the device.

[0011] These and other objects and advantages of the present inventionare achieved by the hair straightener of the present invention. The hairstraightener comprises a handle having a heat generator and a convectorto direct heat away from the handle, a housing connected to the handleand having a heatable surface with one or more vents to release the heatfrom the housing, a guide for directing hair onto the housing, and aheat distributor adjacent the housing to direct heat from the handlethrough the vents. The heat generated from the heat generator isdirected by the convector into the housing. The heat distributor movesthe heat through the housing, thereby heating the heatable surface ofthe housing and directing heat out of the vents to facilitate thestraightening of hair secured by the guide.

[0012] The present invention also provides an attachment for a hair caredevice. The attachment comprises: a housing having a heatable surfacewith vents to release the heat from the housing, a guide for directinghair onto the housing, and a cone-shaped heat distributor in the housingto direct heat from the handle through the vents. The cone-shaped heatdistributor also directs heat through the housing, thereby heating theheatable surface of the housing and directing heat out of the vents tofacilitate the straightening of hair secured by the guide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The foregoing and still further objects and advantages of thepresent invention will be more apparent from the following detailedexplanation of the preferred embodiments of the invention in connectionwith the accompanying drawings:

[0014]FIG. 1 is a top view of the hair straightener of the presentinvention;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a side view of the hair straightener of FIG. 1;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a side view of a portion the hair straightener of FIG.1, turned ninety degrees;

[0017]FIG. 4 is an opposite side view of the portion of the hairstraightener of FIG. 3;

[0018]FIG. 5 is an end view of the portion of the hair straightener ofFIG. 3;

[0019]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the components of the hairstraightener of FIG. 1; and

[0020]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the path of the airflowthrough the hair straightener of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Referring to the figures and, in particular, FIGS. 1 and 2, ahair straightener or straightening device of the present invention isgenerally represented by reference numeral 10. Hair straightener 10 hasa body that includes a housing 50 and a handle 70 adapted to beconnected to the housing via an adapter 20. Preferably, housing 50 andhandle 70 are in axial alignment.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, handle 70 has a lower handle 72 andan upper handle 74 that are adapted to be removably connected together.They can be secured together by conventional means, such as, forexample, one or more screws or mating surfaces, one of which is femaleand the other of which is male that are adapted to snap fit to eachother. Handle 70 also has a switch (not shown) and switch cover 76,preferably in upper handle 74, that is adapted to activate a powersource. The switch cover 76 is secured to handle 70, such as, forexample, one or more screws 78. At the end 71 of handle 70, oppositebody 50 is a cap or end cap 80. End cap 80 is preferably removable.Between end 71 and cap 80, there can be positioned a filter 82. It isnoted that the portion of handle 70 that encloses filter 82 has aplurality of holes or apertures 81 to permit the filter to breathe.

[0023] Preferably, cap 80 is the connection from handle 70 to a powersource, such as, for example, an AC power source.

[0024] Both lower handle 72 and upper handle 74 are made of anappropriate material, such as plastic, metal, rubber or wood.Preferably, the material is plastic.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 3, housing 50 has a heatable surface or heattransmissive plate 56 with one or more vents 58 that permit the releaseof the heat from the housing. Housing 50 is adapted to receive acovering 60 about its outer exterior. Preferably, covering 60 is atwo-piece structure that surrounds heat transmissive plate 56. Covering60 has two or more, and preferably a series (which is at least three) ofrings 61, and two or more, and preferably a series of, guides or teethor series of tines 62. The series of rings 61, are preferably curved,and surround the exterior of housing 50. The teeth or series of tines 62protrude from housing 50 to evenly distribute hair. The covering 60 isheld together at the top by a tip 52 and at the bottom by adapter 20.Adapter 20 operatively connects and secures housing 50 and covering 60to handle 70 and allows for the transmission of air from the handle tothe housing. Further, adapter 20 prevents any rotation or movement ofcovering 60, thereby allowing for hair to be securely guided forstraightening.

[0026] Heat transmissive plate 56 is preferably made of a material thatis capable of absorbing heat from the hot air produced by the fanlocated in handle 70 and transmitting the absorbed heat to the user'shair. Such a material is metal, such as aluminum, or a heat conductingpolymer, such as a talc-filled nylon, or a metal filled polycarbonate.Preferably, covering 60 is made of plastic. The rings 61 and teeth 62may be made of plastic, rubber, or any mixtures thereof. However, thecurved rings 61 and teeth 62 may also be integral to covering 60 asshown in the figures.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 7, housing 50 is preferably cylindrical.Housing 50 has an air restrictor or air baffle 66 that is connected to aheat distributor or air diverter 64. Preferably, the connection isremovable. Baffle 66 is preferably located in the center of housing 50.Heat transmissive plate 56 surrounds the air baffle 66 and air diverter64. The one or more vents 58 of heat transmissive plate 56 direct theheated air. The heat distributor or diverter 64 in housing 50 directsheat from handle 70 through the one or more vents 58. Preferably,diverter 64 is cone-shaped to facilitate the direction of heat. In apreferred embodiment, the tip of the cone-shape of diverter 64 isdirected to handle 70.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 6, heat transmissive plate 56 is preferablylaterally curved so that the hair may glide over its upper surface.Also, heat transmissive plate 56 is situated underneath covering 60 suchthat curved rings 61 surround heat transmissive plate 56. The rings 61are designed so that neither the user's scalp nor neck, come intocontact with heat transmissive plate 56. The rings 61 help to separateand guide the user's hair. The plurality of teeth 62 of covering 60weave through the user's hair and pull the hair to create tension sothat the hair is drawn evenly and tightly across heat transmissive plate56. Thus, the tension of pulling the user's hair straightens the hair,and the action of drawing the hair across heat transmissive plate 56causes the hair to be straightened.

[0029] As stated above, the heat generated from a heating coil or othertype of heat generator (not shown), in handle 70, is directed by a fanor other type of convector (not shown), also in handle 70, into housing50, and diverter 64 moves the heat through the housing, thereby heatingtransmissive plate 56 and directing heat out of the one or more vents 58to facilitate the straightening of the hair secured by the guide.

[0030] Housing 50 is preferably connected to handle 70 by adapter 20,which is preferably configured to releasably receive and secure bothhousing 50 and handle 70. Adapter 20 also preferably is configured toenable housing 50 to be releasably connected to various different haircare devices. However, any other method of connection which allows forthe transferability of housing 50 to other hair care devices may also beused. Thus, housing 50 can be readily attached and detached from handle70, and readily attached onto another hair care device such as, forexample, a hair dryer.

[0031]FIG. 6 also shows adapter 20 and housing 50 with componentsthereof that make up and connect the housing to handle 70. Thesecomponents include cap 52, air baffle 66, air diverter 64, heattransmissive plate 56 with vents 58, and covering 60 with rings 61 andteeth 62. Air baffle 66 preferably has a plurality of openings andfunctions to restrict the flow of air from handle 70 to housing 50 andto distribute the airflow evenly through and between each vent 58 inhousing 50. Air diverter 64, as described above, facilitates thetransfer of heated air from housing 50 to heat transmissive plate 56 andvents 58. FIG. 7 illustrates the air flow pattern through housing 50.

[0032] An additional feature of the present invention is a “cool shotbutton” that allows for momentary removal of heat from device 10 yetcontinues the flow of air to cool and set hair after straightening. Thisis preferably accomplished by the arrangement of the heat generator withthe convector. Preferably, a portion of the heat generator serves as avoltage dropping, series resistor for the convector. Thus, preferablywhen the “cool shot button” is actuated, the heat generator is switchedoff and the portion of the heat generator that is in series with theconvector remains open. This allow for the convector to continue tooperate and generate an airflow while the heat generator ceases toproduce heat thereby creating cool shot of air.

[0033] It should be understood that the foregoing description is onlyillustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modificationscan be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from theinvention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace allsuch alternatives, modifications and variances.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hair straightening device, comprising: a housing having a heatable surface with one or more vents; a handle releasably connected to said housing, said handle having a heat generator; a convector in said handle for urging heat from said heat generator through said housing; wherein said housing receives a cover about said heatable surface for separating hairs and preventing contact between said heatable surface and the scalp of a user.
 2. The hair straightening device of claim 1, wherein said cover has a series of teeth protruding outwardly from said housing to facilitate hair being pulled evenly and tightly across said heatable surface.
 3. The hair straightening device of claim 1, wherein said cover is held in position by said adapter.
 4. The hair straightening device of claim 1, wherein said cover is made of a nonconductive material.
 5. The hair straightening device of claim 1, wherein said heatable surface is made of a material capable of being heated by hot air.
 6. The hair straightening device of claim 1, wherein said heatable surface is made of a heat conducting metal.
 7. The hair straightening device of claim 1, wherein said heatable surface is made of a heat conducting polymer.
 8. The hair straightening device of claim 1, wherein said heatable surface is laterally curved to facilitate hair gliding over said surface.
 9. The hair straightening device of claim 1, wherein said housing has located therein an air baffle.
 10. The hair straightening device of claim 9, wherein said air baffle is removably connected to an air diverter.
 11. The hair straightening device of claim 9, wherein said air baffle has a plurality of openings for restricting and distributing the flow of air between said one or more vents in said heatable surface of said housing.
 12. The hair straightening device of claim 11, wherein said plurality of openings evenly distribute the flow of air between said one or more vents in said heatable surface of said housing.
 13. The hair straightening device of claim 10, wherein said air diverter directs air from said handle through said vents in said heatable surface of said housing.
 14. The hair straightening device of claim 10, wherein said air diverter is cone-shaped.
 15. The hair straightening device of claim 1, wherein said handle is made of a nonconductive material.
 16. The hair straightening device of claim 1, wherein said handle is connected to said housing by an adapter.
 17. The hair straightening device of claim 16, wherein said adapter allows for the transmission of air from said handle to said housing.
 18. The hair straightening device of claim 16, wherein said adapter enables said housing to be releasably connected to various different hair care devices.
 19. The hair straightening device of claim 1, wherein said handle has a switch for activating a power source.
 20. The hair straightening device of claim 1, further comprising a filter.
 21. The hair straightening device of claim 18, wherein said handle has a plurality of holes disposed therein adjacent said filter to allow said filter to breathe.
 22. A hair straightening device, comprising: a handle; a heater in said handle; a fan in said handle; an attachment releasably connected to said handle, said attachment having a heatable surface with one or more vents for releasing heated air generated by said heater and forced, by said fan, through said attachment, wherein said handle has a button mechanism allowing for the momentary removal of heat from the device and enabling the continued flow of air to cool and set hair after it is straightened. 